For the second consecutive year, Grand Valley State University has received a grant offered through the governor's office and awarded by the Michigan State Police to help fund campus sexual assault programming.

Approximately 40-plus police officers, 20-plus firefighters and 20 to 25 volunteers participated in the Grand Valley State University Police Department’s largest annual training session designed to prepare its staff for an active-shooter situation on campus. As part of its yearly exercise, the GVPD partnered with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and other emergency organizations on Sunday, Dec. 17, to practice confrontation and rescue techniques. This year, local fire departments also participated for the first time.

As Grand Valley State University concluded another semester, more crime statistics have been released by the GVSU Police Department.
The Laker Store has seen 21 cases of retail fraud, more commonly known as shoplifting, spanning from August to the end of December 2017. According to GVPD Acting Director Brandon DeHaan, 16 of the suspected individuals have been identified, with appropriate punitive action taken depending on the degree of shoplifting. The 21 cases signify an increase from the 10 cases that were reported by the Grand Valley Lanthorn in November of 2016.

The Grand Valley State University Police Department recognized the hard work and dedication of Kourosh Khatir on Tuesday, Nov. 7, by promoting him from security manager to captain and assistant director of the Department of Public Safety at GVSU.

Greek Life organizations have gained negative attention nationwide recently, with many universities cracking down on behavior that doesn’t align with its values. After a number of conduct violations over several years, Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep), Grand Valley State University’s oldest fraternity, was banned from campus for the next five years.

In recent years, Michigan has seen an increase in the number of individuals who have been involved in fatal crashes due to being impaired by drugs. According to the Michigan State Police (MSP), there were 236 drug-involved traffic fatalities in 2016, which was a significant increase from 2015. As a response, the MSP started a pilot program Wednesday, Nov. 8, to test people on the road to see if they are under the influence of drugs in violation of Michigan law.

President Donald Trump declared the U.S. opioid crisis a public health emergency Thursday, Oct 26. This declaration has sparked various reactions from those who deal with the opioid crisis on a daily basis.